Category Archives: Blog

Castine Candle is proud to announce new ownership! Deb and Ron Nason recently moved home to Burnham, Maine from St. John, USVI.

They have each been managing their business Mainely Details, he as a general contractor and she managing a vacation villa housekeeping business. After eight years of taking their Maine work ethic to the tropics, it is time for them to return to their roots.

“Castine Candle is just the kind of company that suits us – hard work, family centered, high-quality, Made-in-Maine products. We may add a few of our favorite island scents; and we are proud to continue the tradition of Castine Candle.”

We want to thank you for your business, support and loyalty! Our goal is to continue the tradition of Castine Candle and to provide you with the finest scented candles handcrafted in Maine.

We look forward to hearing from you and to fulfilling your Castine Candle orders.

The hardest part of learning a business is not the business! At least not if you are over 40 and never owned a cell phone prior to owning a business. I thought we used excessive jargon in my old world of special education but NO! The new age business world is filled with such incredible amounts of jargon and they are not just names. You could write a book on anyone of the words. And people have. I, in fact, have a list of Something for Dummies books on reserve at the library, only to learn that you can in fact, Google on the line most of the topic areas I seek. I still need to have the pages of a book turning and yes, still use a highlighter as I read.

Let’s see…SEO, Twitter, Facebook, Blogging, Trending, Social Media, ecommerce, Houzz, Amazon, Etsy, Ebay can you say! OMG??? Now, while these all present with the greatest of learning curves for me, the biggest challenge is still the use of a smartphone which makes me feel not much other than a truly dumb blonde. Although I am trying to return to the figure of my previous dumb blonde 20 year old, it was frankly just a better sell!

You would think that making a product of great quality is the challenge. Yes, it does take almost a year to become a Master Chandler. That is in fact the term for a candle maker. And I pride myself every time that I pour a beautiful product that I know will bring someone joy. But that my friends is not the challenge of being a small business owner in 2014. The big challenge is learning how to have anyone find your fantastic products amidst the big guys. I pride myself on every time that someone mentions a Facebook post and I realize that I did in fact connect with someone in this cloud of a world.

While most people think of candles as a fall and holiday item, the truth of the matter is, there is NO better time to try a Castine Candle than summer. All those wet towels, wet dogs, company rushing in, onions from the grill and quite frankly, our summer scents are just fantastic. Did you know that we test every product with working moms and dads, just like us? Folks who, like us, are putting in the grind to enjoy the hours in the afternoon watching their kids grow up and laughing with great friends over a burger off the grill. Right now, because I have a Lemon Biscotti going, they may even think I baked a cake! There is a great quote about working to live versus living to work. Our goal is simple. We represent what hardworking American families are about in today’s economy. For that reason, we bring you only products that we use in our own home. Most importantly, at an affordable price. A gift for yourself or someone else, that you can feel great about giving, and not break the bank in doing so. Enjoy your wonderful weekend here in June and we hope that your next candle burning in your home is one from Castine.

What happens when you mix a love of football and a community fundraising effort? You might just find yourselves owners of a candle company. That is just what happened to the King and I five years ago. Our older son, Prince I, had a passion for football and in a rural community where there was not a league. What followed was an opportunity of a lifetime. With no more than two dollars and a handshake, and the unending support of the previous owners, we found ourselves the owners of Castine Candle Company, previously known as Olde New England Candle Company. With the same great recipes and a determination to make the best made in New England product that is affordable to you and truly sourced and manufactured in the USA, we began our journey.